My Travel Buddy

Love pushes you to travel great distances, both within yourself and outside of it. In fact, I believe there are few things that are as life changing, as love not only changes the path your life takes, it changes who you are—you can become someone you never thought possible, test yourself to try something you never dreamed achievable. You grow, sometimes challenging the person you were, and yet you must always strive to preserve you—the wonderful you that fell in love and was fallen in love with.

This morning, my alarm went off at 4:20am—an ungodly hour that few see, or should see. I got up, packed away the last remaining items, double-checked to make sure I had my passport and boarding pass, and then woke my sleeping husband. He groggily arose from bed, started his coffee, and in ten minutes, was in the drivers’ seat heading to Newark International Airport. There are grand gestures of love, and there are the everyday, unadorned gestures of love. This morning, with his modest act, I was reminded that I am loved.

Now, as I sit on a plane traveling to Costa Rica where I will meet my sister (which I cannot wait for!), I am reminded how I am usually sitting next to Andy. I miss my travel buddy—my partner who lets me rest my head on his shoulder, who explores a new place with tremendous vigor and excitement, who pushes me to zip-line when I really don’t want to. But, I still have the taste of his simple act of love this morning. Yes, love can take you great distances, but sometimes it takes you on a 40-minute car ride.

My travel buddy and I across the world in...

Greece

Italy

South Africa